arthroscopic shoulder surgery

[mikelongstroke]

I am now 15 days out from having my right (dominant hand) shoulder scoped.

The cartilage disk (labrum) in my shoulder tore, from front to back, just below where my larger biceps tendon connects to it. The medical shorthand for this is a S.L.A.P. tear. This was a result of a fall I took at work which took my arm from a extended to the side position (think unsportsmanlike conduct signal) to my bicep being slammed against my ear. This concludes the back story.

With my age and over three decades of type 1 diabetes, my surgeon and I both agreed the chance of repair was not worth being out of work for half a year. The solution was to cut the tendon so it would stop pulling on the torn portion of the labrum.

So now, we get to the point in the story where me being a Clemson fan has hurt my progress. What have we heard over the years of players being injured?
"Deshaun has been busting it in therapy" "we can't keep Kevin off the treadmill" and so on.
I went to physical therapy with the mindset that I was going to crush it. Whatever they asked, I was going to give them more. Another rep, another degree of movement, I was convinced I could be another success story and I was the only thing holding me back. Sound familiar?

Now, the folks at Excel Therapy in Clemson have been great.
"You are not a 20 year old college kid" "you are 10 days out of surgery" "wear the arm sling you were given and stop working at home" "tell me again how long you have been taking insulin" "you will hurt yourself"
From an outside view, these might sound like harsh things to say to a patient. Wrong. This is exactly the type of instruction I need. I have always been athletic, so hard coaching is comfortable.

If resting my arm at my side is zero degrees, I can now passively rotate my arm up to 120° without strain or stretching. So I have the starting position for a free throw now.

Fouls I can signal: holding, offsides, false start, and clipping (though nobody ever calls that anymore).

Being a Clemson fan has never hurt me this much. But I have proven I am coachable, so I have that going for me.

[Tiger80]

I hear you mike.

In November 2013 I had to have my labrum repaired, the bicep tendon reattached, and two torn rotator cuffs repaired. Before being tortured in physical therapy by the devil that was cute as a button (clearly a disguise), I had to wear a sling with a belt around my waist to restrict motion for six weeks. I had to stop running or even walking for fear I might trip. I was coachable but it was a struggle at age 53 to recover. It took six months to regain my strength.

[mikelongstroke]

Good to hear your progress has continued, 80. I'm only a decade behind you in age.

Tomorrow at 3PM will mark 3 weeks out.

Fortunately, I didn't have any rotator cuff damage. Therefore, I didn't get saddled with that sling that looks like you're pinning a pillow to your hip with your elbow.

That said, yesterday was my first day back to work. I went in with every expectation of following orders and taking it easy. After 15 mins of having that sling on, the muscles in my back revolted. The sling left one minute later.

Today was a much better day. The morning began with PT, and not the military kind. That helped, because my therapist attacked any back muscle that showed signs of resistance, with impunity.

At work, anything I needed to be lifted, I delegated. Any wrench that needed to be turned, I instructed. I ordered parts, I planned PMs (that's preventative maintenance operations, if you're unfamiliar), and I diagnosed the problem with a space heater hanging 20 feet from the floor by asking questions to the guy at the top of the big ladder. (induction fan limit switch failure- pressure differential diaphragm style, if you know gas burners). I played my role... maintenance manager.

Moral: "A man has to know his limitations, Briggs"- Harry Callahan

[Tiger80]

I couldn’t even change a fiat tire. It was embarrassing to call USAA for roadside assistance.

[Tiger80]

I ciuld not sleep in a bed so I bought a recliner. I never thought I could sleep in a recliner.

[mikelongstroke]

28 days.

This is the best I have felt since the day before the injury. Sure, my range of motion isn't anywhere in the normal category, but the pain of doing simple things (like button my own pants) is gone. I am also back to driving my manual transmission Honda Civic. (it has a short throw, if you speak stick, don't worry about it). My son's automatic pickup takes more than twice the gas to get to Greenville.

Four weeks. Triple that, and I'll be playing golf again.
Ok- maybe I'll wait until it is warm again

[Oconee]

Older folks need more time than the young to heal, lucky is that we have more patience.
Give us an update Mike. I have heard you on the radio, feel like we are friends.

[Oconee]

Originally Posted by mikelongstroke

28 days.

This is the best I have felt since the day before the injury. Sure, my range of motion isn't anywhere in the normal category, but the pain of doing simple things (like button my own pants) is gone. I am also back to driving my manual transmission Honda Civic. (it has a short throw, if you speak stick, don't worry about it). My son's automatic pickup takes more than twice the gas to get to Greenville.

Four weeks. Triple that, and I'll be playing golf again.
Ok- maybe I'll wait until it is warm again

It is always about us (me).
Complaining helps, and as I am a happy hermit, -- will share on this thread.
Unlike Mike, am not much of an athlete. I have done some jogging over the years.
Doing that has caused many problems, so have been to many types of doctors.
I have never needed surgery for my crap, but my Bride has 2 new knees from Blue Ridge Orthopaedics, and can leave me in the dust when we walk.
I blew out an Achilles moving my boat 2 months ago and am just now able to get around again with less pain. For a month just sat on the sofa.


I won the geezer division of the Anderson Turkey Trot in 2017, and as a reward took 2018 off to gain a couple hundred pounds. My goal for 2019 is to return to that race at the age of 73 and challenge the other geezers. That seems unlikely as I am fat at 200lbs and crippled, but it is a goal.

[mikelongstroke]

Go get 'em Oconee

(btw, I'm a Keowee brat myself. Dad was a KHS grad before High Falls was underwater and Keowee Key existed)

I am now over 8 weeks out of surgery. My touchdown signal looks lazy, but it is effective. I have over 50% of my strength back, and decent range of motion.
(decent equates to 70% range of travel as compared to the left arm)

I still have to throw left handed, which looks incredibly awkward. I never had a rocket arm, and I will never throw a football 40 yds in air again- unless I devote myself to ugly southpaw. You win some- you lose some.

The truth is, without cutting that tendon I would still be out of work. At least the care plan got me back to the facility in three weeks instead of six months. That would have been catastrophic, as they (my co-workers) managed to disable half of the machines I am responsible for in the short time I was out.

The surgeon said (on Thurs) that I am on pace with someone who hasn't been an insulin addict for thirty-one years in terms of my recovery. By definition a type 1 diabetic is an addict, because i could not live without my shots. This news about my progress made my day. By spring time, I fully expect to be swinging my clubs again. Victory!!!!!

[cubarb1991]

God bless Mike. Keep on keepin on!! You got this!

[mikelongstroke]

Today was the three month visit with the Doc. 80% Rehabilitated...

I'm not sure exactly how they calculate that percentage. My gut says 75.

But the extraordinarily good news was that he didn't forbid me from grabbing my clubs, he actually recommended it.
HALF SWINGS ONLY
So on the next sunny day, I'm hitting the driving range- casually